Bath Savings Trust Co Buys 2,646 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Bath Savings Trust Co increased its stake in Costco by 12.3% in Q4, buying an additional 2,646 shares to own 24,202 shares worth $20.87 million, representing 2.1% of its holdings and its 15th largest position.
• Insiders sold shares over the last quarter (7,645 shares valued at $7.05 million), including EVP James Klauer (1,500 shares at $939) and EVP Claudine Adamo (730 shares at ~$1,003); corporate insiders now own 0.10% of Costco.
• Fundamentals and analyst view: Costco beat quarterly estimates (EPS $4.58 vs $4.55; revenue $69.6B), has a $432.5B market cap and 50.69 P/E, and carries a "Moderate Buy" consensus with an average target of $1,039.13.

Bath Savings Trust Co increased its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 12.3% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 24,202 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 2,646 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises 2.1% of Bath Savings Trust Co's holdings, making the stock its 15th largest holding. Bath Savings Trust Co's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $20,870,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 49.3% during the 3rd quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 3,780 shares of the retailer's stock worth $3,499,000 after buying an additional 1,248 shares in the last quarter. Permanent Capital Management LP bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at $874,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 43.6% during the 3rd quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 23,444 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $21,700,000 after acquiring an additional 7,116 shares during the period. FORA Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at $2,781,000. Finally, Lombard Odier Asset Management Switzerland SA boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 8.9% during the second quarter. Lombard Odier Asset Management Switzerland SA now owns 18,132 shares of the retailer's stock worth $17,950,000 after acquiring an additional 1,480 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total transaction of $1,408,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 44,837 shares in the company, valued at approximately $42,101,943. This represents a 3.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 7,645 shares of company stock valued at $7,049,302. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s new Kirkland energy drink is being positioned as a value private‑label offering that should drive incremental sales and hurt branded competitors — this is seen by markets as a low‑cost growth lever for Costco. Why Costco's cheap new Kirkland energy drink won't crush Celsius
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlights strong member response to the Kirkland energy drink and frames the launch as another example of Costco using its private label to expand assortments and margins — a near‑term positive for top‑line and gross‑margin outlooks. Costco's new energy drink delights fans, rattles competition
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple outlets note that Costco’s product expansion is putting pressure on smaller branded peers (e.g., Celsius), which markets interpreted as confirmation that Costco can capture share in higher‑growth categories. Celsius Stock Jolted After Costco Offers Energy-Drink Brand for Less
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage remains broadly positive: consensus price target implies material upside, but reports flag rising concerns about membership growth and valuation — a mixed signal for future returns. Analysts Bullish on Costco Wholesale (COST) Despite Increasing Concerns Regarding Membership Growth Trends and Valuation
• Positive Sentiment: Analyses on Costco’s gas‑pricing strategy emphasize it as a membership retention/acquisition tool that stabilizes traffic and revenue — supportive for recurring revenue and same‑store trends. Here's Why Costco's Gas Pricing Strategy Is Good News for Shareholders
• Negative Sentiment: Separate pieces call out valuation worries and include Costco on lists of overvalued names — a reminder that the stock’s premium multiple leaves it vulnerable to sentiment shifts if membership or comp trends slow. 5 Most Overvalued Companies According to the Media
• Neutral Sentiment: Regulatory/legal flow: Bloomberg Law flags Costco as a target in consumer tariff‑refund actions — keep an eye on potential filings, though no immediate financial impact has been reported. FedEx, Costco, UPS Are Main Targets for Consumer Tariff Refunds

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 0.1%

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $974.86 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $432.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.81 and a beta of 1.01. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $985.83 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $938.89. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,067.08. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $4.02 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th were issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 27.04%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

COST has been the subject of a number of research reports. DA Davidson restated a "neutral" rating and issued a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. Raymond James Financial boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,039.13.

Costco Wholesale Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a global chain of membership-only warehouse clubs that sell a wide array of merchandise in bulk at discounted prices. The company's product mix includes groceries, fresh and frozen food, household goods, electronics, apparel, and seasonal items, augmented by its prominent private-label brand, Kirkland Signature. Costco's business model centers on annual membership fees and high-volume, low-margin sales, designed to drive repeat purchasing and strong customer loyalty among both consumers and small-business buyers.

Beyond merchandise, Costco provides a range of ancillary services that complement its warehouses, including gasoline stations, pharmacy and optical services, hearing aid centers, photo services, and travel and insurance products.

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